Nurses’ Perspectives on Interprofessional Communication in the Prevention of Functional Decline in Hospitalized Older People

ABSTRACTOlder people present with complex health issues on admission to hospital and are at high risk for functional decline and related complications. Thus, they require the services of diverse health-care professionals working in concert to support their functioning. Despite nurses’ central role in caring for this patient population, and evidence indicating that interprofessional communication is a persistent challenge for nurses in acute-care settings, little is known about nurses’ views on interprofessional communication in care preserving functioning in acutely admitted older people. To fill this knowledge gap, we gathered acute-care staff nurses’ perspectives on interprofessional communication in a function-focused, interprofessional approach to hospital care for older adults. Thirteen focus groups were conducted with a purposeful, criterion-based sample of 57 nurses working in acute-care hospitals. Thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes capturing nurses’ perspectives on key factors shapi...